Perpetual ledger



Nol 619,525. Patented Feb. I4, was.

w. n. wmnELn.

PERPETUAL LEDGER.

(Application filed Feb. 26, 1898.)

(No Modal.)

THE NORRXS PETERS CQ, PHOTD-L|TNO- WASHINGTON, D. c.

' UNITED STAT- Es- PATENT FFIC.

WILLIAM N. WINFIELD, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

PERPETUAL LEDGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 619,525, dated February 14, 1899. Application filed February 26, 1898. Serial No. 671,748. (Nonodel.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM N. WINF'IELD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Perpetual Ledgers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to the construction of a perpetual ledger, sometimes called a loose-leaf ledger; and it consists of the construction of the clamping device for the leaves, comprising upper and lower clamping-plates connected by extensible posts having a screw connection to produce the extension and a gear for driving two or more of the screw connections simultaneously to effect the separation of or the clamping together of the clamping-plates.

The invention further consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts, all as more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a ledger embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the back thereof, showing one post in section and the others in elevation.Y Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through one of the posts, showing the manner of attaching the leaves. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a slightly-modified form, the upper casing being removed. Fig. 5 is a section through one of the posts, partly in elevation, shown in Fig. 4.

A and B are the front and back covers of the book. To these covers are attached, respectively, the clamping-plates C and D at the rear edges thereof. These plates preferably have the back plates E, the meeting edges of which overlap and slide past each other to make a back for the book and a protection for the rear edges of the leaves thereof.

The leaves F are formed, as is customary in the so-called loose-leaf ledgers, with an entering-slot a and an aperture b, to which the slot leads, so that the leaves may be engaged with the posts F by opening the slot aand engaging the apertures b on the posts. The posts F' are hollow, and within the same is the screw pin or spindle G. The extension H of the post F is an interiorly-screw-threaded tube engaging with the pin G and adjustable thereon by rotation. The parts F and H together thus form the telescopic or eX- tensible post, the upper end being connected to the plate C and the lower end to the late D. It is evident that if the sections are rotated they will cause the plates C and D to approach and separate from each other, according to the direction in which they turn. I also preferably provide two end posts consisting of telescopic sections F2 and H2, eX- cepting that in this case they simply have a sliding engagement with each other and do not rotate to effect the adjustment. They may, however, if desired, be also provided with a stem screw-adjusting means, although I have not found it necessary. I provide any suitable actuating means for the rotating sections H. In Fig. 2 I have shown the plate C provided with a box-shaped casing, in which is a shaft I, having beveled pinions J, engaging on the beveled gear-wheels K, which are secured at the upper ends of the rotating sections H. The shaft I is provided with a squared end adapted to receive a correspondingly-shaped socket L in the end of a crank or key M.

By the rotation of the crank M, when properly engaged with the shaft, it is evident that both sections H may be rotated simultaneously to loosen the clamp or to tighten it upon the leaves, as desired.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have shown the upper ends of the sections H provided with sprocketwheels O, connected together by a sprocketchain P and one sprocket-wheel provided with a square opening Q, in which the squared shank of a crank may be inserted for eiecting the same result.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a loose-leaf ledger, the combination of the upper and lower clamping-plates, of extensible posts connecting the two, a screw connection between the parts of said posts, and means for turning said screws simultaneously.

2. In a loose-leaf ledger, the combination of the -upper and lower clamping-plates, of extensible posts connecting the two comprising two telescoping sections, a spindle in the larger section, with which the smaller section has a screw-threaded engagement and gear- IOO ing for permitting the turning of the screws of both posts simultaneously.

3. In a loose-leaf ledger, the combination of two clamping-plates, extensible posts connecting the two plates and comprising sections one secured to each plate and having a screw-thread engagement with each other, and gearing operatively connected to one section of each post for turning the same simul-` taneonsly.

4. In a loose-leaf ledger, the combination of two clamping-plates, a casing on one plate,

extensible posts connecting said clampingplates and comprising each two telescoping sections having a screw-thread engagement, a gear on one section of each post Within said casing, and means Within said casing for silnultaneously operating said gears.

In testimony whereof I ax my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM N. WINFIELD. Witnesses:

M. B. ODoG-HERTY, OTTO F. BARTHEL. 

